Mildly depressed teenagers
are more likely to have major depression, anxiety disorders and eating disorders as adults, a new study suggests.
In 1983, researchers interviewed 755 teenagers who were about age 16 about mood, anxiety and eating disorders, disruptive behaviors and substance abuse.
About 8 percent were found to have minor depression, defined as feeling down, losing interest in normal activities, and having insomnia or difficulty concentrating for two weeks or more. The symptoms
of minor depression are similar to, but less severe, than those of a major depressive episode.
Researchers followed up with the teens when they were in their early 20s and in their early 30s, and found that teenagers who had had minor depression were significantly more likely to have major depression in adulthood.
READ MORE @ U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
Showing posts with label mild depression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mild depression. Show all posts
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Drugs 'can help mild depression'
Antidepressants can help mild to moderate depression and should not just be used in bad cases, researchers say.
Current guidelines urge doctors to avoid antidepressants as an initial treatment in mild depression.
But an NHS-funded study of 200 patients from across England found the drugs, called SSRIs, were more effective than GP advice and support alone.
The team hope national advisers will look at their findings, reported on the Health Technology Assessment website.
Study leader Professor Tony Kendrick, a GP and researcher at the University of Southampton, said although the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence wants doctors to restrict SSRIs to the most severe cases, GPs frequently prescribe them for milder cases.
"Just because someone has mild depression does not mean it is a mild illness, because it can cause them to be off work for months," he said.
"And often you don't have psychological treatments to offer because they're not available so you end up prescribing quite frequently."
READ MORE @ BBC
Current guidelines urge doctors to avoid antidepressants as an initial treatment in mild depression.
But an NHS-funded study of 200 patients from across England found the drugs, called SSRIs, were more effective than GP advice and support alone.
The team hope national advisers will look at their findings, reported on the Health Technology Assessment website.
Study leader Professor Tony Kendrick, a GP and researcher at the University of Southampton, said although the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence wants doctors to restrict SSRIs to the most severe cases, GPs frequently prescribe them for milder cases.
"Just because someone has mild depression does not mean it is a mild illness, because it can cause them to be off work for months," he said.
"And often you don't have psychological treatments to offer because they're not available so you end up prescribing quite frequently."
READ MORE @ BBC
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